It was another beautiful day here in central Virginia, and I took my usual route along the first 14 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, detouring off onto parallel Route 610 between mm.2 and mm. 4. There weren't a lot of birds along Route 610, but I stopped near to where I saw a tree full of warblers a few days ago. The only warbler I saw there was a Northern Parula, but a Gray-cheeked Thrush got me off to a good start for the day.
Northern Parula
Gray-cheeked Thrush
When I got to the cirque near mm. 7.5, there was a lot of commotion. Hound dogs were howling at the bottom of the cirque only a few hundred feet off the parkway, and their owner was calling them repreatedly. They must have treed a bear, and there is an early, tree-day bear hunting season this week. Needless to say, the few birds I did see there were hiding in the trees. I did find a few warblers in a small flock close to the entrance to the Humpback Rocks picnic area. It was dark because of heavy tree canopy, but I was able to identify three warbler species, but the photos aren't very good.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler - note the short tail and yellow feet.
I got a partial look at another warbler there, and my best guess is that it was a male Blackpoll Warbler, although its legs and feet are not yellow.
Blackpoll(?) Warbler
There was another small flock of warblers at Hickory Springs Overlook. It always amazes me as to the color variation in fall Tennessee Warblers.
Tennessee Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
On my return trip, I stopped at Ravens Roost Overlook when I saw Dark-eyed Juncos, Eastern Towhees, my first of season Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a Blue-headed Vireo, and a nice mixed flock of warblers.
ellow-bellied Sapsucker
Tennessee Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
American Redstart (rear view)
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blue-headed Vireo
I ended the outing with 27 avian species there.